Leafs Beat Sharks With Big 3rd Period

Tony Cooper, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, February 15, 1996

1996-02-15 04:00:00 PDT Toronto -- The Sharks were able to hang with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the entire game, but just couldn't finish the job. Mike Gartner scored two goals and Mats Sundin added what proved to be the game winner at 12:37 of the third period, leading Toronto to a 4-3 win over the Sharks last night at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Jeff Odgers scored two goals for the Sharks -- only third two- goal game of his career -- and Jamie Baker had San Jose's other score. Chris Tancill, the third member of that line, had another strong game with a pair of assists.

Doug Gilmour was the other goal-scorer for the Maple Leafs, who won for just the third time in their last 14 games

Despite the fact Sharks goalie faced a barrage of 21 Toronto shots on goal on the second period, San Jose was even with the Maple Leafs after 40 minutes. The Sharks actually had the lead for the majority of the second, as Tancill and Odgers combined on a pretty goal at 6:47 to put the Sharks ahead, 2-1. Tancill busted into the Toronto zone and made a cross-ice pass to Odgers, who found a hole between backchecking Leafs Dave Ellett and Mats Sundin to flick a shot into the Toronto goal.

Toronto broke through on Sharks goalie Chris Terreri at 18:14 of the second, with the teams skating four aside. Gilmour started a rush from the Toronto zone, and after a give-and-go with Kirk Muller, wound up in the slot with an open shot. Beating San Jose defensemen Doug Bodger and Jayson More, Gilmour scored, enabling to Leafs to tie the game at 2-2.

The Leafs got an early jump on the Sharks at 2:09 of the first period, when Gartner put in a slap shot from the left wing circle for the game's first goal. But the Sharks answered at 10:45 of the first to tie the scored. From behind the net, Tancill put a pass on Baker's stick, and Baker fired a wrist shot past Toronto goalie Felix Potvin.